Invalid-bed.



N0. 633,264- Patented Sept. l9, I899.- a. HUNTINGTON.

INVALID BED. (Application filed Jun. 29, 1899.)

(No Model.)

4: uuams PETERS co. PHoTo-u'mu, WASHINGTON, n. c,

UNITED STATES GEORGE HUNTINGTON, OF

PATENT OFFICE.

SANTA ANA, CALIFORNIA.

INVALID-BED.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 633,264, dated Septmberj 19, 1899. Application filed June 29, 1899. Serial No. 722,345. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, GEORGE HUNTINGTON, a citizen of the United States, residing at Santa Ana, in the county of Orange, in the State of California, have invented new and useful Improvements in Beds for the Use of Invalids, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to attachments for bedsteads, cots, or mattresses; and the object is to provide a simple attachment that can be aflixed thereto by means of which the occupant of the bed can raise the upper part of the mattress and lower the same at will while he is'lying thereon and adjust it at any angle he may desire and hold the same in such position. I accomplish this object by means of the mechanism described herein and illustrated in the accompanyiny drawing which is a perspective View of a bedstead, partly cut away, to which my improvement is attached.

A represents the frame, and B the side rails, on the under side of which is rotatively mounted the rock-shaft D. To one end of this shaft the lever E is pivoted. Next to this lever and non-rotatively mounted on said shaft is the disk G, having ratchet-teeth G thereon for the reception of a pawl (not shown, being of ordinary well-known construction) mounted on the lower end of the detent-r od I.' This rod is spring-pressed downward by the spring H, keeping the pawl in the teeth G. The pawl holds the lever E against rotation on the rock-shaft D.

The adj usting-frame J is pivoted to the side rails at J. Surrounding the side arms J of the frame J are clips T, which are adjustable thereon in order to give the frame J a greater or less inclination as the clips are moved nearer to or farther from the pivot-at J. The links K are pivotally connected into these clips by the screw-bolts U, which form the pivot. These bolts are also adapted to clamp the clips T firmly to the arms J and hold them against movement thereon. Links K are pivotally connected with the arms L, which are rigidly affixed to the rock-shaft D at the other end thereof. On the end of the rock-shaft opposite to that carrying the op crating-lever and inside the side rail B and rigidly affixed to said shaft is the ratchetwheel M, between the teeth of which the nose of the pawl N is pressed. This pawl has a longarm N extending downward and toward the head of the bed and is spring-pressed upward by the spring 0, thereby holding the nose of the pawl between the teeth of the ratchet-wheel M. To the end of the arm N is attached the cord P. This cord passes from the place of attachment on the arm N down under and around the antifriction-roller Q, then up to and over the antifriction-roller Q, and hangs down loosely and terminates in the hand-piece B. To the side rail B is attached the bracket S, which forms a rest for the lever E when said lever is not in use. A mattress-supporting canvas (not shown) covers the frame in the usual manner.

From the description given it is obvious that by working the operating-lever E back and forth, gripping the handle I in pulling the lever back, and leaving it free when pushing the lever down the adjusting-frame J can be raised and that the ratchet-wheel M and pawl N will hold it in such raised position. \Vhen it is desired to lower the upper end of the frame J, the handle R is pulled down, which will remove the nose of the pawl N from the ratchet-wheel M, permitting the end to drop, and by grasping the lever E at the same time the frame may be gently lowered,

thereby giving the occupant of the bed full control of the inclination of the frame J.

-Having described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. The herein described attachment for beds, comprising the adjustable frame J pivotally mounted on the side rails; clips T surrounding the upright members of the frame J and movable thereon; links K pivotally connected into clips T at the upper end and pivotally connected at the other end with the arm L; the arm L rigidly affixed to the rockshaft D; the rock-shaft D rotatively mounted on the side rails B and on the under side thereof; ratchet-wheel G keyed to the rockshaft and having ratchet-teeth in' the .pe-

riphery thereof; the operating-lever E piv-- oted onto the end of the rock shaft; the hand-piece I pivoted to the lever'and having attached thereto the detent-bar I; the spring H attached to said detent-bar and adapted to press the nose thereof between the ratchetteeth G; the ratchet-wheel M keyed to the rock-shaftand having on its periphery ratchetteeth adapted to engage the nose on the pawl N; the pawl N pivotally mounted in the frame and having arm N projecting toward the head of the bed; the spring 0 adapted to keep the arm N in an elevated position; the cord P attached at its lower end to the arm N and passing under the antifriction-roller Q, and over the antifriction-roller Q and terminating in the handle R.

2. The herein-described mattressadjusting device, comprising a frame J pivoted to the side rails of the bed at a point near the center of the rails thereof, and projecting thence upwardly toward the head of the bed and adapted to support the upper part ofthe mattress; rock-shaft rotatively mounted on the side rails below the adjustable frame; arms rigidly affixed to said shaft and projecting therefrom and connected with the adjusting-frame by means of connecting-links; connecting-links connecting the arms with the adjustable frame; an operating-lever pivoted at the outer end of the rock-shaft; ratchet mechanism attached to said lever and forming operative connection between the lever and the rock-shaft; an operating-cord at the head of the bed; ratchet mechanism connecting said shaft with said cord, substantially as shown and described, whereby the occupant of the bed can lie on the bed and give to the upper part of the bed any in-,

clination desired.

3. In an attachment for bedsteads or cots, the combination with the bedstead of the adjusting-frame J pivoted to the side rails of the bedstead; clips T adj ustabl y mounted on the arms of said frame; links K pivotally connected to said clips atone end and at the other end to arms L; arms L rigidly attached to rock-shaft D; rock-shaft D rotatively mount-ed on the under side of the side rails of the bed; ratchet-wheels G and M rigidly affixed to rock-shaft D, wheel G at the lever end and wheel M at the ratchet end of the rockshaft; operating-lever E pivoted on rock-shaf t D; ratchet mechanism comprising handle I, detent-rod 1, spring H and ratchetwheel G connecting the rock-shaft D with the lever E; spring H on detent-rod I; bracket Sattached to side rails B; pawl N pivoted to the side rail and adapted to keep the ratchetwheel M from turning downward; spring 0 attached to the pawl N at one end and to the side rails at the other end, and adapted to give a downward impulse to the nose of the pawl N; cord P attached to the long arm of pawl N and passing around antifriction rollers Q and Q and having handleR; antifriction-rollers Q and Q all in combination substantially as described herein, whereby the inclination of the head of the mattress may be controlled at the will of the occupant of the bed.

In witness that I claim the foregoing I have hereunto subscribed my name, this 21st day of June, 1899, at Santa Ana, California.

GEORGE HUNTINGTON.

Witnesses:

J. G. QUICK, ISAAC J EWELL. 

